Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb plays a starring role in a new campaign advertisement for Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner, a fellow Republican who came to Holcomb's aid last year.

In the 30-second spot, Holcomb and two other Republican governors — Scott Walker of Wisconsin and Eric Greitens of Missouri — sardonically thank longtime Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan, a Democrat, for helping their economies by raising Illinois taxes and blocking Rauner's agenda.

The ad was released Tuesday, just a day after Rauner formally kicked off his re-election campaign. Rauner does not appear in the ad.

It's part of an ongoing feud between Rauner and Madigan, the longest serving state House speaker in U.S. history and chairman of the Illinois Democratic Party. The battle between the two men was largely responsible for Illinois going two years with no state budget. The impasse ended when lawmakers enacted an income tax hike over Rauner's veto.

What the advertisement lacks in logic — Why would Holcomb appear in an ad supporting Rauner if he really believed his policies would stop jobs and business from crossing the border to Indiana? — it makes up for in novelty, said Robert Dion, a political scientist at the University of Evansville, a 30-minute drive from the Illinois border.

"It’s fun as long as you don’t think about it too hard," he said. "I’ve been watching political ads for 30 years, and this one stands out. It's clever. There’s a reverse jujitsu aspect to it."

Illinois-bashing is something of a sport for Indiana Republicans. Members of the GOP-dominated General Assembly routinely contrast the state's finances with those in Illinois, and the state once ran a campaign to lure businesses to Indiana with the catch phrase "Illinoyed?"

Holcomb's segments, filmed this past week on the roof of a parking garage across from the Indiana Statehouse, play into those sentiments.

"Always happy to help brag on Indiana when we have the chance," said Holcomb campaign spokesman Pete Seat.

Rauner also has helped Holcomb in the past, personally contributing $100,000 to Holcomb's abbreviated campaign last year, when he suddenly found himself the Republican nominee for governor after then-Gov. Mike Pence abandoned the race to become Donald Trump's running mate.

Indiana Democratic Party Chairman John Zody criticized Holcomb's role in the ad.

“Gov. Holcomb is implying his Party’s policies aren’t responsible for growing good-paying jobs in Indiana and he’s right about that,” Zody said. “Fact is, Indiana is stuck at 36th nationwide in household income and there is no plan to grow wages at the Statehouse — except to study the pay of state elected officials.”